Weeder attachment for cultivators



Jan. 5, 1943. E. R. N EUMA NN ETAL 2,307,533

WEEDER ATTACHMENT FOR CULTIVATORS Filed June 6, 1940 En $31 K.- jvezumwzn Guam Patented Jan. 5, 1943 WEEDER ATTACHMENT FOR CULTIVATORS Erwin R. Neumann Willie J. Walter,

Perry, Tex.

Application June 6, 1940, Serial No. 339,172

' 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in cultivator attachments wherein a weeder'is provided as an attachment to the forward stand-- ards of a cultivator.

In cultivating with the ordinary cultivators now on the market it is impossible to remove the small weeds, between and in line with the plants, from the earth in the regular operation of. cultivating. It is therefore a particular aim of the invention to provide a device to eliminate this diificulty and to remove these weeds without in any way injuring the plants.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved means of pulling out small weeds that grow between the stalks in the drill of the row without injuring tender plants.

Another object of the attachment is the provision of means to easily secure said weeder to the rear of any common type of cultivator where-.

by it may be quickly swung from an operative position to an inoperative one.

With the above mentioned objects and others appearing in the specification the invention consists in the arrangements and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a pair of cultivator standards with my weeder attachment secured thereto,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a cultivator standard showing one of the weeder elements secured-thereto by means of a bracket,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vetrical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, Ill designates generally portions of a pair of the forward standards of a cultivator, not shown, which are provided at their lower ends with the spaced nut and bolt fastenings H for detachably securing thereto a pair of cultivator shoes I 2 which are adapted to cultivate the earth on each side of a row of standing plants, not shown. The parts II], II and I2 are of conventional construction and are shown merely to illustrate the application and purpose of the weeder, designated generally l3, and comprising the invention.

The weeder 13 includes a pair of corresponding weeder elements I4 each of which is preferably formed from a strand of relatively heavy gage spring steel which is provided adjacent'one end with a plurality of spring coils l5. One end of the strand 14 projects from the coils l5 to form a relatively short shank portion 16 and the opposite end of the strand l4 extends from the opposite'end of the coils l5 to provide a relatively long rod I! which is disposed at an oblique angle to the shank portion l6.

Each of the weeder elements I4 is adapted to be connected to one of the standards In by supporting means including a bracket l8, as best seen in Figure 3, having two legs which are angularly disposed relatively to eachother to form a flange l9 and a base 20 provided with-openings 2| and 22, respectively." The flange I9 is adapted to be positioned againsttheback side of one of the standards In and itsxopening'2l is size-d to receive a boltof one of the'fastenings II, when its nut is removed after whichthe nutof the fastening II is applied to detachably secure the bracket [8 thereto. When thus clamped to the standard Ill, the base portion 20 projects rearwardly from the standard and is disposed in substantially a horizontal plane, as best seen in Figure 2.

A headed bolt 23 is provided with a threaded shank portion which is disposed in the opening 22 and secured to the base portion 20 by means of a lock nut 24. The lock nut 24 is disposed above the base portion 20 while the head of the bolt 23 is disposed therebeneath. The shank of the bolt 23, adjacent its headed end is provided with an opening 25 which extends diametrically therethrough for receiving the shank l6 of one of the weeder elements l4 which is clamped between the bolt head and the base portion 20 by tightening the adjusting nut 24. A spring ring 26 is preferably mounted on the shank of the bolt 23 between the adjusting nut 24 and the base 20 to assist in maintaining a clamping connection for the shank 16.

It is to be understood that the weeder element I4 is attached by means of a bracket H3, in the manner as heretofore described, to each of the standards Ill and the elevation of the weeder attachment l3 may be varied by applying the brackets l8 to either the upper or lower pair of the fastenings II. The shank ends l6 of the weeder elements I4 are clamped to the brackets l8 so that the ends ll will be disposed substantially in a horizontal plane and extending rearwardly and inwardly of each other to cross at 21 behind and between the adjacent'ends of the shoes l2. The weeder elements l4 are so clamped that their IE will yield when the ends I! contact the plants of said weeder elements to one of the brackets, the opposite, free ends of said weeder elements projecting rearwardly from said standards and inwardly relatively to each other to cross adjacent their free ends, and said shank ends being turnable in the clamping means, when the clamping means are loosened, for adjusting said weeder elements to arrange the free ends thereof to frictionally engage at the point of their intersection.

2. A weeder attachment as in claim 1, each of said weeder elements being provided with a pluof the row to spread to permit the plants to pass 1 between the free ends of the end portions l1 without damaging young or tender plants. The

coils 15 are disposed behind the standards l0 andthe intermediate portions of the shoes 12 to prevent trash and crop residue from collecting thereon and interfering with the operation of the weed- The free ends of the end por-' er elements [4. tions or rods l'lmay be raised-and lowered by turning the shanks IS in the openings 25, assuming the nuts 24 to be loosened for this purpose, to position the portions thereof at the point 21 and therebeyond at the proper depth. When not in use, the shanks Hi can be turned in the openings 25 'so that the ends or rods I! will project upwardly and in line with the standards In, and thus clamped inan inoperative position.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may'obviouslyrbe resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

We claim as our invention:

1. A weeder attachment for .cultivators comprising brackets detachably and adjustably connected to a pair of cultivator standards by their plow shoe fastenings, weeder elements having substantially straight shank ends, clamping means associated with said brackets for detachably and adjustably connecting an end of each rality of spring coils intermediate of their ends for yieldably mounting their free ends relatively to their secured ends, the axis of each of said spring coils being disposed substantially at a right angle to the weeder element of which it form a part.

3. A weeder attachment as in claim 1, said clamping means each including a nut and bolt fastening-attached to one of said brackets, the bolt of said fastening being provided with an opening in its shank, adjacent its head,-for receiving the shank end of one of the weeder elements, and said nutbeing adjustable for clamping the secured end of the weeder element be-' tween the bolt head and bracket. 

